Method of aerating water to promote oxidation of an iodine-related species

ABSTRACT

An automatic, self-regulating method of water treatment for use in water circulating towers in which water is evaporated, and make up water is added, with components which synergistically function to cut chemical, energy, water, corrosion, pollution, and maintenance costs, by passing the water through a water conditioning unit to prevent adhering evaporation scale deposits along with their content of concentrated biofouling nutrients from forming on the flooded surfaces of the tower and its associated water flow circuit, adding. a trace level of iodine to the input make-up water to enhance the further disinfection of nutrient-deprived surfaces from any residual biofilm and chance pathogen contaminations, and adding a trace level addition of zinc ions in the water such as by an assured treatment feeder to the input make-up flow for inhibiting residual iodine-resistant algal and bacterial organisms of hazard for restoring bionutrient tower conditions, such as within sun-lit environments, and apparatus for carrying out the foregoing method.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application comprises a continuation of application Ser. No.10/876,449 as filed on Jun. 28, 2004, and which claims benefit of thefiling date of Provisional Application No. 60/487,244 as was filed onJul. 16, 2003.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

A water treatment method using a unique synergistic combination of watertreatment components performing treatment steps automatically andcontinuously applied to the make-up and recirculation waters inevaporative cooling towers, and to apparatus for the application of sucha method.

2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cooling towers are widely used in H.V.A.C. and Industry. The towers willnormally employ evaporation of water, and heat exchange the buildingHVAC circulating water, to cool water. The evaporation results in theconcentration of dissolved solids in the cooling tower recirculationwater. Scale, principally in the form of calcium carbonate, can buildup, thereby reducing the rates of heat transfer and hence the efficiencyof the tower. The water is also suitable for the growth of biologicalcontaminants such as bacteria and algae. Biofouling organisms, usingorganic nutrients collected by scale deposits, attack system surfaceswith corrosive acids to further increase dissolved particulatecontamination Conventional chemical treatment, particularly sincechromates were banned by E.P.A., in practice, does not control scale,corrosion or microbiological contamination, and produces the potentialliability of toxic discharge water into the environment, and handlingbarrels of toxic chemicals.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,761, Leach et al., disclose a method ofrecirculation cooling tower basin water through a series of filter bagsin order to reduce the amount of particulate contamination. In U.S. Pat.No. 6,332,978, Cushier et al. teach a combination of filtration andtreatment with redox media to reduce contamination in recirculationcooling tower waters. However scale is not controlled, backwashingcycles are mandatory, and the copper compounds used plate out onto themetals of the equipment. Ozone treatment, among other disadvantages,does not prevent scale formation and is restricted in application. Theknown prior art methods do not eliminate scale, and do not offer 24hour/day, automatic, effective protection against legionella, scale,corrosion and microbiological contamination.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an improved method and apparatus forautomatically eliminating scale, minimizing particulate contaminants,legionella and controlling corrosion, fouling & microbiologicalcontamination in cooling tower recirculation water, 24 hours per day.

In particular, the invention provides a first Module A for the treatmentof incoming make-up water, and a second Module B for the treatment ofthe cooling tower recirculation water. The first Module A directs someincoming make-up water through an iodine canister (18), and also througha micromineral suppressant canister (20), containing zinc, in order toprovide metered, low levels of iodate and zinc, to suppress bio-organiccontamination throughout the tower. All incoming make up water alsopasses through a physical type, self-cleaning water conditioner (22),which prevents the formation of scale dissolves old scale and inhibitscorrosion.

The second Module B includes a pump (24) that recirculates the towersump water through a strainer (26), a centrifugal separator (28) and aphysical type, self-cleaning water conditioner (30) which maintains thewater in an unsaturated state The strainer (26) removes the largerparticulates and any debris that gets into the tower (32). Thecentrifugal separator (28) brings the particulates down to minus 40microns throughout the recirculation system, in addition the conditioner(30) produces large calcium carbonate particles, which in turn coagulatewith the organics, and are blown down by the separator (28) and a“blow-down” valve.

An alternative second Module B can consist of a bypass pipe installedacross the cooling tower recirculation pump inlet and outlet pipes; withthe separator (28), conditioner (30) and flow meter (34) mounted in thisby pass pipe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a typical cooling tower whichillustrates with Module “A” and Module “B” a preferred method andapparatus for automatically treating water according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the self-regulating zincgenerator (20), which in conjunction with FIG. 3 schematic is attachedto the make up water line. (36);

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the self regulating iodinegenerator (18), which in conjunction with FIG. 2 is attached to the makeup water line. (36);

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic drawing of a laser particle test result beforehard water entered the conditioner;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic drawing of a laser particle test result, in thesame water as in FIG. 4, after the water had passed through the sameconditioner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Cooling towers are designed to work on an evaporative process inconjunction with a heat exchanger/chiller condenser (14). A tower (32)will typically include baffles or fill and spray bars (16) or likeelements having increased surface areas over which warm water cascades.At the same time, cooling tower fans (not shown) move air over thecascading water to increase evaporation and lower the water temperature.The resultant cooled water is cycled back through a chiller condenser(14) where it picks up heat and is then returned to the tower (32) to becooled. As the water evaporates in the tower (32), the dissolved solidsin the water which collect in the tower sump (10) become concentrated.To maintain a constant water volume within the system, make-up watermust be continuously added to compensate for the water lost throughevaporation in the tower (32), and through “blow-down”.

Scale builds up in the chiller condenser (14) and in the fill and spraybars (16) in the tower (32) with conventional chemical treatment. Thisscale reduces the heat transfer efficiency of the condenser (14). Inaddition, the cooling tower water is subjected to biologicalcontamination by airborne micro-organisms from the air, which are suckedinto the tower (32) by the fans. Microbiological contamination of thistype entering the cooling tower recirculation water is a major cause ofcorrosion of metallic surfaces due to bio-film formation. Known chemicalwater treatment processes result in having to ‘rod-out’ chillercondenser tubes (14) and/or “acid-wash”, to reduce excess energy costs,and protect the system from severe damage.

To prevent and control the problems of scale and fouling, high corrosionrates (usually >3 m.p.y. with conventional chemical treatment), and lowcooling tower life span the present invention automatically performsseveral functions, some by themselves and others in conjunction with oneanother, as follows:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a cooling tower treatment systemillustrating the present invention. A typical cooling towerinstallation, portions of which are illustrated in FIG. 1, includes amake-up water line (36) discharging fresh water into the tower sump (10)continually replacing the total amount of water loss from evaporationand sump discharge water losses. A cooling tower recirculating pump(s)(12) circulates cooled water from the tower sump (10) through thecondenser side of a heat exchanger (14), where it picks up building heatfrom the evaporator side of the chiller (14), and then from there ispiped to a spray bar system (16) mounted at the top of the tower (32).The water from the spray bars (16) cascades down into the tower sump(10), and then is piped back into the condenser side of the heatexchanger. (chiller) (14).

In this preferred embodiment a typical cooling tower is fitted with thegroups of components identified as Module A and Module B in FIG. 1,which go to make up the invention.

Module A, which treats incoming make-up water, consists of an iodinegenerator canister (18), (see FIG. 3.) a mineral suppressant generatorcanister (20), (see FIG. 2), and a physical type water conditioner (22).

Module B schematically depicts a side stream sump recirculation line,consisting of a strainer (26), a pump (24), a separator (28) & aphysical-type water conditioner (30). Conditioner (22) used in Module A,and conditioner (30) used in Module B are physical type, self-cleaning,require no chemicals or electricity, and are maintenance free. Dependingon water quality, physical type water conditioners such as capacitanceor magnetic designs may be used that can produce large sized calciumcarbonate particles in hard water, as measured by independent laserparticle counts “before” and “after” hard water passes through theconditioner, as shown in FIG. 4 and in FIG. 5; also producing a minimumincrease of 300% turbidity and 200% suspended solids. A capacitance typeunit that may be used in either or both Module A and Module B isdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,644. A suitable magnetic unit isdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,933.

Conditioners other than those mentioned above can also be used if theyoffer the above required characteristics.

The conditioners (22) and (30), prevent the formation of scale, causethe dissolution of old scale and inhibit corrosion throughout thesystem. With the scale removed, and automatically maintained that way,the ferrous and ferric oxides then combine to form magnetite on thepiping surfaces. Without the presence of scale, nutrients formicro-organisms are reduced to a minimum. In addition to a scale freeenvironment, a very clean water system is maintained by a centrifugalseparator (28) that reduces particulate contaminants down to minus 40microns in the system (manual or automatic blow-down). Further reductionin the number of contaminant particles is achieved by the action of theconditioners (22) &−(30) which automatically produce large sized calciumcarbonate particles throughout the recirculation water system on acontinual basis when treating hard water. These growing calciumcarbonate particles coagulate with the organics thereby preventingfurther corrosion as a result of the elimination of the organicnutrients, and are continually removed from the system by the sumprecirculation line separator (28) and by the ‘blow-down’ valve (38).This blow down valve (38) is a valve which can be installed inalternative places but usually into a pipe which emanates from the sump(10). It is actuated electrically by a timer, which in turn is signaledelectrically from the make up water line meter. This water meter is preset to signal the timer for (say) every 25 gallons flowing through themake up water pipe (36). The timer can be adjusted for controlling theconcentration of the chlorides in the cooling tower water. The strainer(26) installed before the sump recirculating pump (24) eliminates largerparticles and debris.

Water that has been cooled by evaporation in the tower (32) is collectedin the sump (10). The cold sump water is piped back into the chillercondenser (14) by the main recirculation pump(s) (12). The heated waterexiting the chiller condenser (14) is returned to the tower (32) forevaporative cooling. The water in the sump (10) is cycled through ModuleB by a pump (24). Larger particulate contaminants are removed from thewater by a strainer (26). Particle size of scale and other contaminantsthroughout the cooling tower system is reduced below minus 40 microns bythe Model B separator (28). Water directed back to the sump (10) passesthrough a water conditioner (30), which further ensures elimination ofcalcarious and organic contaminants, maintaining the recirculation waterin an unsaturated mode, with the continual production of large calciumcarbonate particles. Incoming make-up water is treated in Module A bythe iodine conditioner (18), zinc conditioner (20). and waterconditioner (30).

The make up water assembly incorporates two ‘see through’ type similarcanisters containing zinc in one canister (20) and iodine in the othercanister (18)

In the zinc canister (20) at the bottom of the vertical canister thereis an inlet tube (40), with nozzle holes (42) designed to exit the waterinto the nozzle cone (44), creating a deep penetration scrubbing actionon the zinc. In the iodine conditioner (18) there is an inlet tube (46)with holes (48). This design does not have a nozzle cone since a lesseraction is desirable. This internal design difference is to obtain themaximum desired water action for each of the two elements, ensuringconsistent results. i.e. the scrubbing action on the zinc, which is lessdesirable on the iodine. The feed water for the two canisters (18) and(20) is derived from some of the make-up water being diverted from themake up water pipe (36) by an adjustable valve, located in the make upwater line, between an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe to the generators.This water passes through the iodine canister (18), to introduce iodine;and some of this make up water diverted into the micro-mineralsuppressant canister (20), for zinc to be metered in amounts sufficientto control bio-organic contaminants. The iodine is discharged from theiodine canister (18) through a “see through” type horizontal flexibletube to a needle valve, that controls the iodine discharged back intothe make up water main pipe (36). Concentrated iodine is veryaggressive, so all materials used have to be neutral to iodine. Themicro-mineral suppressant canister (20) internal parts and design togenerate zinc, has to be constructed to a modified fluidized bedprinciple for ensuring that the surfaces of the zinc are constantlyself-scrubbed when operating, for consistent erosion release, giving anon-going accuracy of correct metering, even for small injections, themetering being controlled by the aforementioned adjustable valve in themake up water line.

An additional benefit offered by the invention is that, as the waterconcentrates, build up of total dissolved solids, hardness (as CaCO3),TDS, conductivity levels are reduced by about 40%, as compared toconventional chemical treatment, thereby permitting increased cycles ofconcentration, and considerable water savings. This occurs because thecalcium carbonate particles produced by the conditioners combine withthe organics, which together then have a specific gravity heavy enoughto be automatically discharged. As an example, in Great Lakes Water,cooling tower water use and discharge is reduced by at least 25%. Inaddition to this water savings, in hard make up water situations, evenmore water is saved compared to chemical treatment which has to “soften”this water before use, involving the additional cost of an appropriatelysized water softener, plus having to use quantities of salt. In additionto this expense, the “softener” has to be regenerated on a regular basis(such as twice/week), which uses up large quantities of water. Thesystem, according to the invention, does not require a softener in hardwater. Cooling towers using chemical treatment, use vast quantities ofwater, whereas according to the invention, up to 40% water use anddischarge can be saved.

The above description explains how the total recirculation water istreated, which creates and maintains a very clean system, a mandatorycondition for effective prevention of microbiological contamination. Theinvention adds to this bacterial control by automatically and accuratelymetering into the make up water line (36), as described below <250p.p.b. of zinc, and <200 p.p.b. of iodine for bacteria kill. The iodine,then has a final adjustment to reflect 1 p.p.m. in the recirculationwater. The iodine becomes iodate, due to the aeration of the sumpcascading water. The iodate in a clean system, at 1 p.p.m., killslegionella up to 99.99999% (U.S. Dept. of Health—Atlanta). The zinc,when present at only 50 p.p.b., kills pseudomonas & other pathogens.Pseudomonas when present is harmful because it regenerates bio-nutrientswhich are a major source of nutrients for legionella. The iodatepenetrates under bio-films, even penetrates amoebas thereby killinglegionella. Algae is efficiently controlled by the combination of iodateand zinc.

Each canister holds enough zinc and iodine to last 2 to 3 years before arefill is required. This replenishment is a simple operation, and takesapproximately 20 minutes. A test valve or tap (50) in provided in moduleA. By opening this valve (50) and collecting a sample of the water, itis possible to sample the iodine content of the make up water, and thusensure that the percentage is adjusted to produce optimum results.

Depending on water quality, other metals at <500 p.p.b. may possibly beused in addition to, or in place of zinc. The water quality throughoutthe system is always maintained to potable standards, when the make-upwater is of potable quality.

To summarize the operation, water that has been cooled by evaporation inthe tower (32) is collected in the sump (10). The cold sump water ispiped back into the chiller condenser (14) by the main recirculatingpump(s) (12). The heated water exiting the chiller condenser (14) isreturned to the tower (32) for evaporative cooling. The water in thesump (10) is cycled through Module B by a pump (24). Larger particulatecontaminants are removed from the water by a strainer (26). Particulatesize of scale and other contaminants throughout the cooling tower systemis reduced below minus 40 microns by the separator (28). Water directedback to the sump (10) passes through a water conditioner (14), whichfurther ensures elimination of calcarious and organic contaminants,maintaining the recirculation water in an unsaturated mode, with thecontinual production of large calcium carbonate particles. Incomingmake-up water is treated in Module A by the zinc, iodine and a waterconditioner (22).

The make up water assembly consists of two ‘see through’ type similarcanisters containing zinc in canister (20) and iodine in canister (18),the difference in the two canisters being basically that the waterdischarge holes at the bottom of the vertical canister inlet tube aredesigned to exit the water into a nozzle cone (44) for the zinc, butdirectly out into the canister, above the disc, for the iodine. Thisinternal design difference is to obtain the maximum desired water actionfor each of the two metals, ensuring consistent results. The feed waterfor the two canisters is derived from some of the make up water beingdiverted from the make up water pipe (36) through the iodine canister(18), to introduce iodine, which converts to iodate with the aeration inthe tower; and some of the make up water diverted into the micro-mineralsuppressant canister (20), for zinc to be metered in amounts sufficientto control bio-organic contaminants. The iodine is discharged from theiodine canister (18) through a ‘see through’ type flexible tube to aneedle valve, that controls the iodine discharged into the make up watermain pipe (36). Concentrated iodine is very aggressive, so all materialsused have to be neutral to iodine. The micro-mineral suppressantcanister (20) internal parts and design have to be constructed to amodified fluidized bed principle for ensuring that the surfaces of thezinc are constantly self-scrubbed when operating, for consistent erosionrelease, giving an on-going accuracy of correct reading, even for smallinjections. To attain the scrubbing of the zinc surfaces, FIG. 2 showsthe inlet water entering the conventional filter exit into the uppercanister centre, and being discharged out of the bottom of the internalvertical tube, through equally spaced and angled holes (42) discharginginto a cone (44). This creates a swirling action on the zinc granules,contained in the canister (20) resulting in the scrubbing of the zincsurfaces, which prevents the surfaces from oxidizing.

So configured, the iodine unites with the aeration and evaporativeprocesses of the tower to sustain the delivery of effective free iodineor its equivalent precursors into every remote crevice of the flowcircuit, wherein iodine is not volatile by aeration as other competingdisinfectants, such as chlorine, chlorine dioxide, bromine, or ozone.The iodine remains in the tower environment to become more concentratedand effective as the process water evaporates with the tower cycles ofconcentration and is not compromised as other disinfectants when theoperating pH in the tower rises to 8.5 or more by the stripping ofcarbon dioxide from the water by aeration activity. The iodinepenetrates into the protective sediment and biofilm shelters ofresisting micro-organisms by eluding chemical neutralization byoxidative side reactions, such as with reduced ferrous iron orproteinaceous releases as thrown up by the more resistant organisms forresisting most of the other “more reactive” disinfectants. The iodinemaintains a trace disinfectant presence in the tower even after beingreduced by disinfection reactions to iodide ion [I⁻] due to the highoxygen content of the aerated water causing some “spent” iodide to berestored back to free iodine to a slight, but significant, equilibriumlevel. The iodine becomes gradually oxidized by the tower aerationitself to its secondary disinfectant form, the iodate ion [IO₃ ⁻], whichby its even greater chemical stability diffuses fully into any residualsediments or biofilms that might persist, and where it will reduce backto disinfecting free iodine in reactive contact with active anaerobeorganisms, thereby deactivating said organisms even as they start up.

All the make-up water then passes through the Module A waterconditioner(s) (22), which changes the water into an unsaturated state,dissolves old scale, & inhibits corrosion.

The system shown in schematic FIG. 1 is for the purposes of illustrationonly, and is not intended to be limiting, since cooling towers aredesigned with many different types of configurations, including, but notrestricted to, direct & indirect evaporative cooling towers, “coolers”,mechanical draft, hyperbolic towers etc.

The invention can operate efficiently for any type or size of coolingtower. Persons could generate additional embodiments without departingfrom the spirit of the claimed inventions. For instance, all or part ofthe make up water assembly could be applied to controllingmicrobiological contamination in water systems, for example to controllegionella, etc. The schematics provided are to facilitate understandingof the invention only. Also water quality for the make-up water variesover a wide range, and therefore has to be treated accordingly sometimesbefore entering the make up water line. (36).

This water treatment method greatly improves the operation of coolingtowers; namely, in the permanent elimination of scale build-up on alltower and heat exchanger surfaces; in the effective control ofbiofouling; in the related suppression of biofilm sponsored corrosionand in the eradication of tower contamination by biological growths,particularly of pathogenic organisms, such as legionella. This resultsin a very effective, 24 hour/day, 7 days/week automatic control ofscale, fouling, corrosion, and microbiological contamination. The systemensures minimal heat transfer losses and pollutional water discharges,with greatly reduced water and energy consumption, applied chemicalquantities and operational and ownership costs, and greatly extendedcooling tower life. The foregoing is a description of a preferredembodiment of the invention which is given here for the purposes ofillustration. The invention is not to be taken as restricted to any ofthe specific features as described but comprehends all such variationsas come within the scope of the following claims.

1. A method of automatic, self-regulating water treatment for use inwater circulating towers in which water is evaporated, and make up wateris added, with components which synergistically function to cutchemical, energy, water, corrosion, pollution, and maintenance costs,and comprising the steps of; passing the water through at least one ormore efficient water conditioning units to prevent adhering evaporationscale deposits along with their content of concentrated biofoulingnutrients from forming on the flooded surfaces of the tower and itsassociated water flow circuit; supplying input make up water to replacewater lost by evaporation; adding a trace level of iodine to the inputmake-up water to enhance the further disinfection of nutrient-deprivedsurfaces from any residual biofilm and chance pathogen contaminations;and adding a trace level addition of zinc ions in the water such as byan assured treatment feeder of said mineral to the input make-up flowfor inhibiting residual iodine-resistant algal and bacterial organismsof hazard for restoring bionutrient tower conditions, such as withinsun-lit environments.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein theiodine unites with the aeration and evaporative processes of the towerto sustain the delivery of effective free iodine or its equivalentprecursors into every remote crevice of the flow circuit, whereiniodine: is not volatile by aeration as other competing disinfectants,such as chlorine, chlorine dioxide, bromine or ozone.
 3. The method asclaimed in claim 2 wherein the iodine remains in the tower environmentto become more concentrated and effective as the process waterevaporates with the tower cycles of concentration.
 4. The method asclaimed in claim 3 wherein the iodine is not compromised as otherdisinfectants when the operating pH in the tower rises to 8.5 or more bythe stripping of carbon dioxide from the water by aeration activity. 5.The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the iodine penetrates into theprotective sediment and biofilm shelters of resisting micro-organisms byeluding chemical neutralization by oxidative side reactions, such aswith reduced ferrous iron or proteinaceous releases as thrown up by themore resistant organisms for resisting most of the other “more reactive”disinfectants.
 6. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the iodinemaintains a trace disinfectant presence in the tower even after beingreduced by disinfection reactions to iodide ion [I⁻] due to the highoxygen content of the aerated water causing some “spent” iodide to berestored back to free iodine to a slight, but significant, equilibriumlevel.
 7. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the iodine becomesgradually oxidized by the tower aeration itself to its secondarydisinfectant form, the iodate ion [IO₃ ⁻], which by its even greaterchemical stability diffuses fully into any residual sediments orbiofilms that might persist, and where it will reduce back todisinfecting free iodine in reactive contact with active anaerobeorganisms, thereby deactivating said organisms even as they start up. 8.The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the iodine is added by visiblefeeder equipment that permits instant assessment as to whether traceiodine additions are being appropriately maintained to cooling towermake-up flows, and a saturation bed type feeder that fully,automatically, and flow-proportionately feeds iodine-saturated waterto-make-up flows via a sidestream loop regulated by a flow-controllingneedle valve adjusted initially by treated water testing.
 9. The methodas claimed in claim 7 wherein zinc completes functions complementary toiodine addition measures, and complements iodine limitations atcontrolling algae through strong suppression of the “Blue-green” groupof algae so as to avoid resorting to more toxic algicides, such ascopper, silver, ozone, chlorination chemicals, and, also inhibits morepersistent tower micro-organisms, such as the Pseudomonads for a furtherminimization of biocorrosion factors; and creates near-saturation of thewater with zinc that additionally slows corrosion upon all theprotective zinc galvanizing present upon metallic equipment surfaces.10. A trace level zinc feeder for use with water circulation systems incooling towers for adding trace levels of zinc to such water andcomprising: an automatically regulating saturation bed feeder operablefor continuous addition of zinc to the tower make-up flow to reachnear-saturation of all input water with respect to protectingzinc-coated surfaces.
 11. A trace level zinc feeder for use with watercirculation systems as claimed in claim 10 and including a fluidized bedof size-graded zinc granules which in suspension continuously scrub eachother to maintain constantly scoured zinc/zinc oxide surfaces forsolubilizing such zinc at a uniform, consistent rate.
 12. A trace levelzinc feeder for use with water circulation systems as claimed in claim11 including the provision of downward and tangentially angled waterinflow nozzles at the bottom of the bed of zinc granules that spiral thebed contents around for consistent particle scrubbing over a wider rangeof flow-rate operation than would be normally possible with a standardlydesigned fluidized bed unit.
 13. A trace level zinc feeder for use withwater circulation systems as claimed in claim 12 and including avisually transparent vessel for quick assessment of the bed appropriatefluidized operation.
 14. Apparatus for the automatic, self-regulatingtreatment of water for use in water circulating towers in which water isevaporated, and make up water is added, with components whichsynergistically function to cut chemical, energy, water, corrosion,pollution, and maintenance costs, and comprising; at least one waterconditioning module connected to said tower for receiving watertherefrom and for removing adhering evaporation scale deposits alongwith their content of concentrated biofouling nutrients, and forreturning it to the tower; a make up water treatment module connected tothe tower for supplying make up water to said tower; an iodine supplycanister in said make up water treatment module for metering iodine intothe make-up water to enhance the further disinfection ofnutrient-deprived surfaces from any residual biofilm and chance pathogencontaminations; a zinc supply canister in said make up water treatmentmodule for adding metered amounts of zinc ions to the make up water forinhibiting residual iodine-resistant algal and bacterial organisms ofhazard for restoring bionutrient tower conditions.
 15. Apparatus for theautomatic, self-regulating treatment of water as claimed in claim 14including visual inspection ports on said iodine canister and said zinccanister.
 16. Apparatus for the automatic, self-regulating treatment ofwater as claimed in claim 15 including a sample valve cock in said makeup water module operable to sample water treated therein.
 17. Apparatusfor the automatic, self-regulating treatment of water as claimed inclaim 16 including a filter in said water conditioning module operableto remove scale from water in said tower.
 18. A method comprising:providing water having an iodine-related species dissolved therein;aerating the water while subjecting the water to a moving gas to therebypromote oxidation of the iodine-related species.
 19. The method of claim18 further comprising using fans to provide the moving gas.
 20. Themethod of claim 18 wherein providing water comprising providing water ina water recirculating system.
 21. The method of claim 20 whereinproviding water in a water recirculating system comprises providingwater in a cooling tower.
 22. The method of claim 21 wherein aeratingthe water comprises, in part, causing the water to flow downwardly inthe cooling tower.
 23. The method of claim 22 wherein subjecting thewater to a moving gas comprises subjecting the water to the moving gaswhile causing the water to flow downwardly in the cooling tower.
 24. Themethod of claim 23 wherein subjecting the water to the moving gas whilecausing the water to flow downwardly in the cooling tower comprisesusing fans to provide the moving gas.
 25. The method of claim 18 whereinthe iodine-related species comprises, at least in part, iodine.
 26. Themethod of claim 25 wherein aerating the water while subjecting the waterto a moving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine-relatedspecies comprises aerating the water while subjecting the water to amoving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine to thereby produceiodate.
 27. The method of claim 26 wherein subjecting the water to amoving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine to thereby produceiodate comprises subjecting the water to a moving gas to thereby promoteoxidation of the iodine to thereby produce iodate that will diffuse intoresidual contaminants that may persist in the water.
 28. The method ofclaim 27 wherein subjecting the water to a moving gas to thereby promoteoxidation of the iodine to thereby produce iodate that will diffuse intoresidual contaminants that may persist in the water further comprisessubjecting the water to a moving gas to thereby promote oxidation of theiodine to thereby produce iodate that will diffuse into residualcontaminants that may persist in the water and that will reduce back todisinfecting free iodine when reactively contacting active organisms inthe water.
 29. The method of claim 28 wherein the active organismscomprise, at least in part, active anaerobe organisms.
 30. The method ofclaim 27 wherein subjecting the water to a moving gas to thereby promoteoxidation of the iodine to thereby produce iodate that will diffuse intoresidual contaminants that may persist in the water comprises subjectingthe water to a moving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine tothereby produce iodate that will diffuse substantially fully intoresidual contaminants that may persist in the water.
 31. The method ofclaim 18 wherein aerating the water while subjecting the water to amoving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine-related speciescomprises aerating the water while subjecting the water to a moving gasto thereby promote oxidation of the iodine-related species such thatiodine is maintained at least a trace disinfectant presence in the watereven after been reduced by disinfection reactions to iodide ions due, atleast in part, to a higher aerated oxygen content of the water.
 32. Themethod of claim 31 wherein aerating the water while subjecting the waterto a moving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine-relatedspecies comprises aerating the water while subjecting the water to amoving gas to thereby promote oxidation of the iodine-related species tocause at least some spent iodide to be restored back to free iodine. 33.The method of claim 32 wherein promoting oxidation of the iodine-relatedspecies to cause at least some spent iodide to be restored back to freeiodine comprises promoting oxidation of the iodine-related species tocause at least some spent iodide to be restored back to free iodine at arelatively slight but significant equilibrium level.
 34. The method ofclaim 18 wherein the iodine-related species comprises, at least in part,iodide.
 35. The method of claim 18 wherein aerating the water whilesubjecting the water to a moving gas comprises moving the gas in adirection that is substantially opposite a primary direction of flow ofthe water.
 36. The method of claim 35 wherein moving the gas in adirection that is substantially opposite a primary direction of flow ofthe water comprises moving the gas in a substantially upwards direction.37. The method of claim 18 wherein the gas comprises anoxygen-containing gas.
 38. The method of claim 37 wherein theoxygen-containing gas comprises air.